The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1887-08-31
From a Young Wife's Diary.

George said last week that we must
economize, for trade seemed to be
paralyzed. 1t is funny that trade should
have waited till we got married and
then get paralyzed. But we must do
all we can, George says, to save money.
| am trying every day to save what he
makes. For three days l have been
making my husband pair of the cutest
night-shirts that anybody ever saw.
They are long and graceful and trimmed
with pink embroidery. George put one
of them on last night, and we had our
first harsh words. At first he laughed
a low, bitter laugh, such as we some
times hear on the stage when the vii
lain sticks a large red stab-knife into a
casual acquaintance. | did not think
that my own George would ever curdle
my young blood with such low,
gurgling laugh. For few moments |
yearned for my mothers bosom to moan
on, but it was useless to moan. George
said that anybody with brains enough
to soil a silk handkerchief ought to
know that the buttons should be on the
right hand side, and that three pockets
in night-shirt was moonshine. Then
he buckled shawl-strap around him
self and pretended to be Sitting Bull,
but | would not laugh at him. 1t was
the first time that had ever refused to
laugh at anything George expected me
to laugh at. Can he ever forgive? Oh,
can he ever forgive? l threw myself
on the bed and wept till the pillow
shams were a sight to behold. | also
made mistake in putting in the sleeves,
so that they pointed back into the dim
past. George said he felt all the time
as if he had been turned around in a
cyclone, and that while he was strug-
were striving to lay hold on the dear,
dead past. He can be quite eloquent
when he feels like it, and his employer
says he is the most brilliant conversa-
tionalist they have at the barber-shop.
| can now see that if had put in more
time at home in learning to sew and
cook and less time on my voice it
would have been better for George.
Papa spent good deal of money teach
ing me to 60 up and down the scale, and
how to sing sad pieces with tremolo in
them, but the button-holes that make
George says, look like the eye of dead
hog. think parents are apt to make
a mistake in the estimate they place on
their children. For instance, papa
would never sing anything but =" My
Poor Nellie Gray" and if mamma could
sing anything she did it under an as
sumed name, for | never heard her
Well, when l began to sing and people
could discover what tune it was my
parents began to squander money on
my alleged voice. always knew ]
couldn't sing, but here / am with q
trunk full of sheet-music, no piano and
a faculty for making pie that would
lead man to the gallows. also know
how to elocute some, but that does moi
keep us now. What does poor mar
want of wife who can recite Z" Cur
few Shall Not Ring Tonight" and who
cannot throw any hope into low
spirited hunk of bread? l see it al
now-oh, so plain-and so does George
fear. l can understand how he feels
exactly. He may be rich man some
day if he don't die of dyspepsia before
he amasses fortune, and all the time
| must practice on some one. Poo
George. Yesterday l bought a little
red recipe-book from pleasing young
man who called at the door. His eyes
were so deep and dark and his voice 81
pleading that would have purchased
the book if had had to borrow thu
money. The book is very useful one
and is bound in the same color as my
new dog. 1t tells how to make custards
blanc-mange and floating island. l
also tells you in the back part how t.
cure heaves, CHAMBERS and bolts. l cal
hardly wait till George gets the bott
so that can bring out my little rec
book and win him back to life and 10,
again. 1t also gives away other in
formation. Any one with this bool
in the house can go to work and take {
person right through a long siege o
Group or yellow fever without doctor
j, and there is whole lot of law in it, 81
that George won't have to have law
yer or doctor, and we can save grea
deal that way. Why will people fritte
away their money on doctors and law
yers when they can get one of thes,
books so cheap?-EGchange